Hi I hope my english is good enough for this. There are absolutely no reduced weight - how do you reckon that? The material removed to make the slots are less than the material used to make out the walls of the slots - thus when completing the slots you have added a little wight. The purpouse of the slots are to stiffen the chainstays. The MX Leader does it with a bigger and higher profile. Masi made it by adding material. I do not know what "whippy" means but if it means wobbly or whimpy you probably misstake the slots for plain holes made in a solid material. This is a hollow tube that after the slots (wich actually are small tubes in them selves) are stiffer than the tube without them. Sort of a simple honeycomb design.
Then of course you shall never underestimate the marketing effect. Masi made these slots many years ago and we are still talking about them. Imagine the buzz at the time.
Eddy Merckx was very particular about what he rode - have a look at this picture and the slots:
http://www.cyclingarchives.com/
Best regards Johan Ericson Stockholm, Sweden
> From: crj@frii.com
> To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
> Date: Fri, 21 Jan 2011 12:49:18 -0700
> Subject: [CR] slotted chainstay Masi
>
> This seems like a lousy idea to me.... why would this be a good idea....??
> and Why besides reduced weight if you could call it that...
> It is totally opposite to what Eddy did on my MX Leader. the chainstays are
> huge compared to all of my other bikes or any I have seen.... or am I
> missing something...??
> I would think that it makes a real whippy ride...??
>
> Chuck Johnston
> Fort Collins Co